Systems, methods and apparatus for operating a broadcast network
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for operating a radio station, comprising:
- periodically receiving generic content files via a satellite downlink or an internet connection;
periodically creating locally generated content files;
storing all of the received generic and locally generated content files;
using an electronic schedule having at least one or more indicators when certain of the generic content files are to be played and one or more indicators when there is supposed to be a break;
preselecting which, if any, of the locally generated content files will be played during a given break without regard for the length or amount of the locally generated content files;
retrieving, playing and broadcasting at least some of the stored generic content files in accordance with the electronic schedule until a break indicator appears at which time the preselected locally generated content files, if any, for that break are retrieved, played and broadcast until completed;
seamlessly resuming retrieving, playing and broadcasting at least some of the stored generic content files without the need for resynchronization with the electronic schedule or dynamically resizing the content files; and
repeating the process.
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Abstract
In a method for operating a radio station, the radio station periodically receives content files via a satellite data channel. The received content files are stored. At least some of the stored files are then retrieved, played and broadcast in accordance with an electronic schedule. In accordance with another method, a plurality of affiliate radio stations are provided with content files via a satellite-based content delivery system. Each of the affiliate radio stations is also provided with an electronic schedule that instructs an automation system of the affiliate radio station to retrieve, play and broadcast ones of the content files, thereby generating a near real-time radio broadcast. Methods and apparatus for recording said content files for tiers of affiliates, and for recording said content for multiple or singular affiliates, are also disclosed.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for operating a radio station, comprising:
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periodically receiving generic content files via a satellite downlink or an internet connection; periodically creating locally generated content files;
storing all of the received generic and locally generated content files;using an electronic schedule having at least one or more indicators when certain of the generic content files are to be played and one or more indicators when there is supposed to be a break; preselecting which, if any, of the locally generated content files will be played during a given break without regard for the length or amount of the locally generated content files; retrieving, playing and broadcasting at least some of the stored generic content files in accordance with the electronic schedule until a break indicator appears at which time the preselected locally generated content files, if any, for that break are retrieved, played and broadcast until completed; seamlessly resuming retrieving, playing and broadcasting at least some of the stored generic content files without the need for resynchronization with the electronic schedule or dynamically resizing the content files; and repeating the process. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for operating a radio station network, comprising:
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periodically sending generic content files via a satellite downlink or an internet connection to affiliate radio stations; each affiliate radio station storing the generic content files and storing locally generated content files; generating and sending an electronic schedule having at least one or more indicators when there is supposed to be a break to each affiliate radio station; each of the affiliate radio stations preselecting which, if any, of the locally generated content files will be played during a given break without regard for the length or amount of the locally generated content files; each of the affiliate radio stations retrieving, playing and broadcasting at least some of the stored generic content files in accordance with the electronic schedule until a break indicator appears at which time the preselected locally generated content files, if any, for that break are retrieved, played and broadcast until completed, each of the affiliate radio stations seamlessly resuming retrieving, playing and broadcasting at least some of the stored generic content files without the need for resynchronization or dynamic resizing, and repeating the process. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A radio network, comprising:
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a plurality of affiliate radio stations; a plurality of programming formats, each radio station preselecting which format it will use for its programming; a generic electronic schedule for all radio stations playing the same format; the electronic schedule having one or more indicators when there is supposed to be a break; a plurality of content files provided by the radio network capable of being downloaded by each of the affiliate radio stations, the content files being either localized for particular radio stations or generic for all radio stations playing the same format or a combination of both, the generic content files being capable of being downloaded and stored at any time without regard for scheduling; a content provider, linked to the plurality of affiliate radio stations via a satellite-based content delivery system, providing the plurality of content files to each of the affiliate radio stations and providing each of the affiliate radio stations with the generic electronic schedule, each radio station having a first automation system which downloads the content files from the content provider applicable to the chosen format and stores them locally, the first automation system sequentially retrieving, playing and broadcasting least some of the plurality of content files in accordance with the electronic schedule; wherein when the indicator for a break appears in the electronic schedule, each radio station may specify either that none or a preselected individualized amount and time length of locally generated content files shall be retrieved, played and broadcast;
such that the first automation system stops sequentially executing the network originated generic content files and causes the locally originated content files of any time length or number which have been preselected by each station to be played during a particular break until they are completed; andwherein at the completion of the playback of the locally generated content files during a given break, the first automation system seamlessly resumes retrieving, playing and broadcasting the generic content files without the need for resynchronization or dynamic resizing. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A radio network, comprising:
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a plurality of affiliate radio stations; a plurality of programming formats, each radio station preselecting which format it will use for its programming; a generic electronic schedule for all radio stations playing the same format;
the electronic schedule having one or more indicators when there is supposed to be a break;a plurality of content files provided by the radio network capable of being downloaded by each of the affiliate radio stations, the content files being either localized for particular radio stations or generic for all radio stations playing the same format or a combination of both, the generic content files being capable of being downloaded and stored at any time without regard for scheduling; a content provider, linked to the plurality of affiliate radio stations via a satellite-based content delivery system, providing the plurality of content files to each of the affiliate radio stations and providing each of the affiliate radio stations with the generic electronic schedule;
each radio station having a first automation system which downloads the content files from the content provider applicable to the chosen format and stores them locally, the first automation system sequentially retrieving, playing and broadcasting least some of the plurality of content files in accordance with the electronic schedule;each radio station having a second automation system for separately storing locally originated content;
wherein each radio station may specify either that none or a preselected individualized amount and time length of locally generated content files shall be retrieved, played and broadcast during a given break such that when the indicator for a break appears in the electronic schedule, the first automation system stops sequentially executing the network originated generic content files and causes the locally originated content files of any time length or number which have been preselected by each station to be played during a particular break until they are completed; andwherein at the completion of the playback of the locally generated content files during a given break, the first automation system seamlessly resumes retrieving, playing and broadcasting the generic content files without the need for resynchronization or dynamic resizing.
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Specification